BREAK POINT 

It's Spring Break '06. Prepare for the Profits, Baby!

A few weeks each year, it seems that under Mother Nature’s watchful eye, the weather is perfect. On cue, school bells fall silent, and all hell breaks loose.
    And one patron’s break is an operator’s busiest and most profitable period — if it’s handled right.

Creativity Meets Opportunity
    While many bar owners opt to go it alone during the month of March, figuring the cash is at the ready without more promotional push than a dollar off drinks and some cheap chicken wings, this is not always a smart course of action. With so much loose change to be gathered, Spring Break is one of those occasions when it might be wise to look beyond your regular staff.
    “We subcontract out through our marketing company, Alloy,” says Vaun Cook, general manager of Spinnaker Beach Club in Panama City, Fla. “They handle all individual sponsors and head up all in house and beach promotions.” Spinnaker’s sheer size is daunting within itself, catering to several thousand a night, and the operators want to make sure that potential profits aren’t overlooked. In conjunction with several other clubs on the beach, Spinnaker offers guests special VIP cards, valid at a variety of places in Panama City. The plastic cards function in the same manner as a pre-paid credit card and are sold at participating hotels and on college campuses.
    In addition to the fact that this beachside spring break  mammoth works year-round with some of the biggest names in the alcohol industry, through Alloy, Spinnaker owners also were able to secure non-alcohol sponsors as well.
    “They (Alloy) change it up each year,” Cook says. “Last year’s big draw was that they got a salsa sponsor, and we had salsa wrestling.”
    Two-thousand miles northwest in Aspen, Colo., March might be a little cold for rolling around in a baby pool full of salsa, but it is the perfect temperature to strap on a snowboard, and likewise, to hit the bar for a little après ski cocktail or two.
    “I always felt like if people come to Aspen, they come with money,” says Brandon Jordan, co-owner of the Lava Lounge. Knowing that discounted drinks, while always appreciated, probably won’t pull in the patrons in his area, Jordan plays his crowd through music, winter gear and beverage sponsors. This Spring Break, the Lava Lounge will work in conjunction with High Society, a new local snowboard/skateboard company, and an established list of sponsors, including Absolut, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Red Bull, Jägermeister, Coors and Budweiser, to throw several parties in the month of March. “They like to take care of us,” Jordan says of his distributors. “And we like to take care of them.”
    Although High Society contacted Jordan about hosting a Spring Break bash, seeking out sponsors is sometimes necessary. Looking into companies that are well established may mean a firm amount of capital at hand to throw a large promotion, however, teaming up with a new   company gives both sides a boost and adds a fresh, untapped appeal to the promotion.

The Value of Your Stock
    They say the party isn’t over till the fat lady sings. Well, in this industry, obesity and karaoke have nothing to do with it. The party is over when the alcohol runs dry. At Spinnaker Beach Club, Cook says they have extra storage that is used only for the weeks of Spring Break.
    “We have a draft salesman that comes out here daily during the month of March,” she says. “We do probably 15 kegs a day and probably close to 500 cases of beer a week. I would venture to say as much as a third of our income is from that one month.”
    At Juju Hang Out & Bar in Galveston, Texas, Owner Joe Flores says he see crowds of college students from schools all over Texas during Spring Break, and stocking up on his staples of Budweiser and Miller is a major concern.
    “We stock extra,” he says. “Normally, we will stock for a whole weekend, adding maybe a couple of extra hundred cases of beer.” The best bet is to over-bet on an event like Spring Break, especially in stocking beverages.
    “We have only owned this bar for one year,” Jordan says of his newly acquired Aspen club, Lava Lounge. “Now we know what to expect. Last year we went through 10 cases of liquor alone. NCB   

Check ‘Em In, Check ‘Em Out
    Safety is paramount when filling your club with alcohol and young adults. Here are a few steps to ensure safety for everyone involved and limit your establishment’s liability in the event of a problem.
    1. Make sure you hire enough security. You should have at least one guard for every 50 patrons, and during Spring Break more is better.
    2. Check identification at the door and at the actual bar. Stamps can be washed off or duplicated easily. Wristbands are a better solution to identify who is of age and who is not.
    3. Make sure your security is well trained. Discuss with them beforehand the importance of treating all patrons with respect. Dealing with angry, intoxicated people is an unavoidable art in this industry, and having skilled security is vital.